Room air conditioner



Sept. 27, 1966 E. s. WEGMAN 3,274,919

ROOM AIR CONDITIONER Filed Feb. 26. 1965 :5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 27, 1966 s, WEGMAN 3,274,919

ROOM AIR CONDITIONER Filed Feb. 26, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-3.

ATToRNEY p 27, 1966 E. s. WEGMAN ROOM AIR CONDITIONER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 26, 1965 FIG-5.

PIC-3.4.

United States Patent 3,274,919 RUQM AIR CQNDITTONER Evert S. Wegman, tColumhus, Ohio, assiguor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, lia., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 435,537 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 98--94) This invention relates to improvements in a retractableextendable front panel arrangement for a room air conditioner.

A retractable-extendable panel arrangement, as the term is used herein, means one in which a panel may be collapsed against, or pulled outwardly in spaced relation from, the housing front which contains the air outlet opening and the air inlet opening. Thus, in the retracted position the panel lies generally in the plane of the face of the housing to more or less close the face, and in the alternate extended position the panel is swung outwardly away from the face of the housing to permit passage of return air into the air inlet opening. Typically, a directional vane assembly, independently operable to control, and to open or close, the air outlet opening is also provided.

One object of this invention is the provision of a retractable-extendable panel arrangement in which the closure panel portion and the directional vane portion are integrated into an assembly operable between the extreme positions as a unit.

A further object is the provision of such a unitary assembly in which some economy is effected through the use of certain parts which perform dual functions.

In accordance with the invention, these objects, and others, are attained by the provision of an arrangement including: a first frame for the room face of the air conditioner housing, this first frame generally dividing the room face of the housing into an air inlet opening, an adjacent air outlet opening, and a control panel area at one end of the air inlet opening; a closure panel assembly including a second frame hingedly mounted through linkages to the first frame for movement between the extreme positions noted; and a directional vane assembly which pivots in unison with the movement of the closure panel assembly between a retracted position in which the vane assembly as a whole is recessed into the air outlet opening and is behind the closure panel, and an extended position in which the directional vanes occupy the air outlet opening, and a wall portion of the directional vane assembly projects forwardly between the air outlet opening and the air inlet opening to prevent short circuiting of air flow from the air outlet to the inlet. An important feature of this arrangement is that the end wall portion of the vane assembly also serves as a pivotal link between the closure panel frame and the first frame means. The vane assembly as a whole is pivoted about an axis extending, generally along the border between the air outlet opening and the air inlet opening. Accordingly, when the panel arrangement is moved from an open to a closed position the vane assembly simply pivots about its axis into a retracted position, while the closure panel portion moves in a motion which is largely translational in character with the wall portion of the directional vane assembly folding behind the upper part of the closure panel.

In accordance with another feature of the invention an overcenter spring arrangement is provided to urge the whole assembly toward one or another extreme position from any position other than dead center, and resisting movement of the assembly out of either extreme position.

In accordance with another feature consonant with the invention, the second frame means includes opposed upmotor 42 to move the outside air in the path shown by 'ice least one open end to the tracks to permit sliding the panel sideways to expose a control panel located behind one end of the panel.

The invention will be further explained in connection with the accompanying drawing in which one embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of the room or front face of an air conditioner provided with the panel arrangement according to the invention, and with the panel arrangement in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a similar isometric view, but with the panel arrangement in the other extreme (i.e., open) position and in which the air conditioner may be operated, this view also showing the closure panel slid to the side to expose the control panel behind the one end of the panel;

FIG. 3 is partly diagrammatic side view in the nature of a vertical section showing the general arrangement of the interior parts of the air conditioner relative to the panel arrangement in its open position; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side views, enlarged relative to FIG. 3, showing the panel arrangement in an open and a closed position, respectively.

The general appearance presented by the front face of the room air conditioner with the front panel arrangement in the alternate closed and open positions is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The casing of the air conditioner has a box-shaped form and includes a top wall it), opposite side walls 12 and 14-, -a bottom Wall 16, and has a generally open front face designated 18 into which is mounted and secured the front panel arrangement of the invention.

The parts visible in FIG. 1 with the panel arrangement in closed position include the closure panel 20, the upper and lower channel-shaped tracks 22 and 24 which encompass the upper and lower edges of the panel 20 for slidable movement when the panel arrangement is in an open position, and an air inlet grille as shown as a series of horizontally extending louver bars. This air inlet grille is located in front of the lower portion of the air inlet opening and covers only that portion thereof not covered by the closure panel 2@ in a closed position. The panel arrangement in either a closed or open position is intended to provide a relatively pleasing appearance, and to this end those members exposed to view (the tracks, the panel and the grille 26) are each of a finished character.

Movement of the front panel arrangement to its open or extended position illustrated in FIG. 2 places the panel arrangement parts in operative position. Thus, the decorative panel 20 is spaced outwardly from the air inlet opening generally designated 28 to permit full air flow into the inlet. The directional vane unit generally designated 3ft occupies its operative position in the air outlet opening generally designated 32. FIG. 2 also shows the panel 20 to the right of a centered position to provide access to the room air conditioner control panel 34 with control knobs 36 mounted thereon. A small portion of the air filter 38 is also exposed with the panel moved to the right in FIG. 2.

The relationship between the parts of the air conditioner and the panel arrangement according to the invention is perhaps best described in connection with FIG. 3, to which attention is now directed. There it will be seen that the principal parts of the air conditioner may be considered to be typically arranged and they will thus be only briefly described since those persons versed in this art need little explanation of the relationship of these parts to each other. The casing is generally of a rectangular box-shape and houses the condenser 40 exposed to outside air, the condenser fan 41 driven by motor 42 to move the outside air in the path shown bv "the directional arrows through the condenser side. The

interior of the casing is separated by a partition 43 and the room air fan 44, also driven by motor 42, is on the room air side of the partition and is arranged generally to induce air flow in the path indicated by the directional arrows. The flow path is into the air inlet 28, through filter 38 and evaporator 45, and then through the discharge air plenum 46 and air outlet opening 32 (in which the directional vane unit is located) back into the room. A compressor 47 is shown in broken line outline. It will be appreciated that the room or return air enters the air inlet 28 from around the side and bottom edges of the panel 20.

With this environment in mind, the structural arrangement according to the invention may be considered to be comprised of these principal parts: a first frame means mounted in the open front face of the casing and which generally defines the air inlet opening, the air outlet opening and the control panel space; the second frame means which carries the closure panel and is pivotally linked to the first frame means for largely translational motion between its opposite positions; and the directional vane unit which is operatively connected to the closure panel frame and which moves in pivotal fashion between the opposite positions.

In the currently preferred form, the first frame means is a generally rectangular-shaped frame which is stamped from a single sheet of metal and has the peripheral edges of the frame flanged forwardly so that in transverse crosssection the frame members are, or approach, the form of an angle. Referring to FIGS. 4 and of the drawing, the top and bottom horizontal members 50 and 52 of the first frame means may be seen in section. The side vertical members 54 and 56 are best seen in FIG. 2. The first frame means includes, in addition to these peripheral members, an intermediate horizontal cross-member 58 forming a border between the lower inlet air opening and the upper air outlet opening. The area below the horizontal cross-member 58 is further divided by the vertical member 60 (FIG. 2) which subdivides out the control panel 34 area at the left as shown. As noted, it is currently preferred that these members of the first frame means have angle, or modified angle, or channel, shapes to provide rigidity against racking. The first frame means is slightly inset in the front face of the casing and there secured with suitable gasket and sealing materials being used in the mounting. From this stationary position the first frame means supports the remainder of the parts of the arrangement.

The structure which directly mounts the closure panel 20 for movement is herein called the second frame means. As such, the second frame means includes the upper and lower tracks 22 and 24 which are held in their parallel spaced relation by a pair of vertical members which as shown in FIG. 2 are the rearwardly-open channels 62 and 64. Member 62 is located at the right end of the second frame means and channel 64 is inset from the left end a distance placing it in alignment with the vertical member 60 dividing the air inlet and control panel areas.

The second frame means is secured for movement relative to the first frame means by the left and right lower links 66 and 68 which pivotally connect the first frame means and the second frame means as shown in FIG. 2. The upper edge of the second frame means is also pivotally connected to the first frame means, but in this case the connection is through the end wall members of the directional vane unit. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the pivotal connection, having an axis extending along the upper edge of the second frame means, is identified by the numeral 72; and the other pivotal connection, i.e., the one having an axis extending generally along the border between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, is identified by the numeral 74.

The directional vane unit 30 includes, in addition to the wall portion 70 forming one leg of the generally L-shaped supporting structure, a skeleton leg 76. Leg 76 is called the skeleton leg since it takes the form of an open face peripheral member within which the vertical deflecting vanes 78 and the horizontal deflecting vanes 80 are mounted. The end walls 32 of the directional vane unit have the same general shape as the horizontal deflectors 78, but are not adjustable from side-to-side.

The wall leg 70 of the directional vane unit is itself pivotally mounted within an encompassing frame, also designated 70, along its edge adjacent the upper edge of the second frame means. To ensure that the wall portion 70 moves into its proper position for operation of the air conditioner when the front panel arrangement is moved to the open position of FIG. 4 from the retracted position of FIG. 5, a pair of spring clips 84 are hooked over the edge of the cross member 58 of the first frame means with their front or outboard ends biased against the free edge of the wall portion 70. Thus as the front panel arrangement is moved from its FIG. 5 to its FIG. 4 position, the spring clip 84 ensures that the free edge of the wall member 70 will move into its proper location for operation.

It will be appreciated from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the closure panel means comprising the second frame means and the panel 20 move largely in translational fashion between opposite positions. However, the movement is not purely translational since the link 68 is shorter than the end wall 82 link. Further, the pivot points about which the motion takes place are not in vertical alignment. Consequently, the panel 20 is not exactly parallel to the front face .of the casing when the panel is in its extended position.

In contrast to the motion of the closure panel means, the directional vane unit moves in purely pivotal fashion between opposite extreme positions. Thus, the wall portion 70 of the vane unit more or less folds behind the closure panel 20 in the retracted position.

To ensure that the front panel arrangement will be retained in either of its extreme positions when once moved to such a position an overcenter spring arrangement is used to urge the assembly as a whole toward an extreme position from any point on either side of dead center of the spring arrangement. To this end, at each side of the first frame means, adjacent the top thereof, a reanwardly-directed bracket 84 is provided and a spindle 86 is pivotally attached to its outboard end. A compression spring 88 is fitted upon the spindle. The ends of the compression spring bear against the pivot point on the bracket 84 and against a rotatable pin 90 which is provided with a hole to slidably receive the spindle 86 therethrough. Thus, as the directional vane unit is moved between the retracted and extended positions, the spindle 86 slides in the hole provided in the pin 90 and the spring 88 is first compressed as the movement carries the directional vane unit to a dead center position, and then as it passes through this position the spring under compression urges the directional vane unit to its other extreme position. Thus when the front panel arrangement is in any position other than an intermediate dead center position, the overcenter spring 88 urges the assembly as a whole toward its extreme position. The pin 90 also serves as a stop in the extended position by contacting bracket 84 (FIG. 4).

Referring further to FIGS. 4 and 5, another spring device is used at the pivot point where the lower links 66 and 68 are secured to the main frame or first frame means, these wire springs 92 having one end bearing against the web of the channels to urge the lower end of the second frame means into its retracted position when it is so reached.

The springs 92 also function of course as counterbalancing springs opposing the weight of the front panel arrangement.

For purposes of summary, the following is advanced to ensure an adequate appreciation of the features of the invention. First, it will be appreciated that both the closure panel portion and the directional vane portion of the front panel arrangement are unitary in the sense that they are operative together and that moving one portion into an operative position results automatically in movement of the other portion also into an operative position.

Of course, the arrangement according to the invention results in the directional vane unit serving also as the linkage between the closure panel portion and the main frame means. The overcenter spring arrangement and the wire spring means on the lower links provide stability of the front panel arrangement in either of its extreme positions, with the latter means (the wire springs on the lower links 66 and 68) reducing the likelihood of any flopping of the lower edge of the closure panel when it is in a retracted position. The provision of the track arrangement for the front panel enhances accessibility of the control panel, and perhaps equally importantly permits the removal of the closure panel 20 entirely for access to the air filter 38. In this connection, the lower louvered grille 26 is secured by overhanging brackets 94 to the first frame means by friction clips, and also carries the supporting means for the air filter 38. Consequently, upon removal of the panel 20, the grille 26 may be simply snapped out of place forwardly to carry the air filter out as well.

The invention claimed is:

1. A retractable and extendable front panel and vane assembly for a room air conditioner, comprising:

a first frame adapted to be secured to the room face of said air conditioner, and including means dividing said face into a lower air inlet, and an upper air outlet;

a rectangular second frame carrying a closure panel and pivotally linked to said first frame for movement of said second frame from an open lower position in which said panel is spaced outwardly from said air inlet, to a closed upper position in which said panel lies retracted against said room face and over said air outlet;

said Vane assembly being generally L-shaped in transverse cross-section with one leg of said L mounting a series of directional vanes, and the other leg of said L carrying a generally imperforate wall, said vane assembly serving as a pivotal link between the upper edge of said second frame and said first frame so that said second frame and closure panel and said vane assembly move between said retracted and extended positions as a unit.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 in which: said second frame includes upper and lower track members mounting said closure panel for laterally slidable move ment.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 including:

overcenter spring means urging said vane assembly toward either extreme position from a position on either side of a dead center intermediate position.

4. A front panel arrangement for a room air conditioner having a housing provided with an open-face front, said arrangement comprising:

first frame means secured to said open front including means dividing said front into an air inlet and an air outlet;

a closure assembly and a directional vane assembly secured to each other for unitary movement relative to said frame means;

said closure assembly includes second frame means carrying a closure panel, and means mounting said second frame means for swinging movement between an upper closed position in which said panel covers said air outlet and an adjacent portion of said air inlet and lies substantially in the plane of said open front, and a lower open position in which said panel is spaced outwardly from said air inlet, and said air outlet is opened;

said vane assembly includes means pivotally linking the upper edge of said second frame means to a pivotal axis extending along the border between said air inlet and an outlet of said first frame means so that said closure assembly and said vane assembly are movable only together and as a unit with said vane assembly moving in pivotal fashion.

5. An arrangement as specified in claim 4 including:

over-center spring means connecting said vane assembly to said first frame means for urging said vane assembly toward either extreme position from either side of an intermediate position.

6. A front panel arrangement for a room air conditioner having a housing provided with an open-face front, said arrangement comprising:

first frame means secured to said open front including means dividing said front into an air inlet and air outlet;

a closure assembly and a directional vane assembly secured to each other for unitary movement relative to said frame means;

said closure assembly including second frame means carrying a panel and including means hingedly mounting said second frame means from said first frame means for upwardly and inwardly swinging movement from an open extended position in which said panel is spaced outwardly from said air inlet opening, to a closed retracted position in which said panel lies closely adjacent the plane of said open face and covers the upper portion of said air inlet and said air outlet;

said directional vane assembly includes end walls pivotally linking the upper edge of said second frame means to said firs-t frame means, and a skeleton frame supporting said directional vanes, said vane assembly as a whole being pivotally supported on an axis generally extending along the division between said air inlet and air outlet;

whereby said closure assembly and said vane assembly are operable solely as a unit between opposite positi-ons, with said vane assembly being movable in pivotal fashion between said open position in which it is disposed in said air outlet and a recessed position behind said air outlet, and said closure assembly is movable in generally translational fashion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1962 Halbeisen 62-262 X 5/1962 Halbeisen 62-262 X 

1. A RETRACTABLE AND EXTENDABLE FRONT PANEL AND VANE ASSEMBLY FOR A ROOM AIR CONDITIONER, COMPRISING: A FIRST FRAME ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE ROOM FACE OF SAID AIR CONDITIONER, AND INCLUDING MEANS DIVIDING SAID FACE INTO A LOWER AIR INLET, AND AN UPPER AIR OUTLET; A RECTANGULAR SECOND FRAME CARRYING A CLOSURE PANEL AND PIVOTALLY LINKED TO SAID FIRST FRAME FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND FRAME FROM AN OPEN LOWER POSITION IN WHICH SAID PANEL IS SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID AIR INLET, TO A CLOSED UPPER POSITION IN WHICH SAID PANEL LIES RETRACTED AGAINST SAID ROOM FACE AND OVER SAID AIR OUTLET; SAID VANE ASSEMBLY BEING GENERALLY L-SHAPED IN TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION WITH ONE LEG OF SAID L MOUNTING A SERIES OF DIRECTIONAL VANES, AND THE OTHER LEG OF SAID L CARRYING A GENERALLY IMPERFORATE WALL, SAID VANE ASSEMBLY SERVING AS A PIVOTAL LINK BETWEEN THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID SECOND FRAME AND SAID FIRST FRAME SO THAT SAID SECOND FRAME AND CLOSURE PANEL AND SAID VANE ASSEMBLY MOVE BETWEEN SAID RETRACTED AND EXTENDED POSITIONS AS A UNIT. 